Recently, I mentioned some health concerns associated with the vegetable oils we consume. I said most of them are derived from seeds.
These oils are extracted from plants using either a chemical solvent or an oil mill. Then they are often purified, refined, and sometimes chemically altered.
They are easily oxidised and are sometimes high in trans fats. I also mentioned that omega-6 fatty acids are mainly found in these vegetable oils, and that when the intake of omega-6 fatty acids from refined vegetable oil is high, they can promote inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which, for example, can lead to poor heart health outcomes if accompanied by low omega-3 consumption.
However, it is important to note that not all plant oils are bad for your health. For example, avocado oil and olive oil are both excellent choices. We have already discussed olive oil.
Avocado oil is not a seed oil. It is made from the creamy green flesh of the avocado fruit. The good news is that avocado pear is in season, and since the oil is a healthier choice, I felt we should talk about it.
Before we proceed, I would like to remind you all that African walnut is still in season. It is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. If you buy it and it is not properly cooked, you should cook it again. It is tastier when it is soft.
Avocados have a well-earned reputation as a superfood, given that they boast antioxidants, omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. They contain magnesium, potassium, fibre, and vitamins B, C, E, and K. Additionally, they contain trace amounts of vitamins A and D.
About 60 per cent of avocado oil consists of heart-healthy oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid.
This fatty acid is also the main component of olive oil and is believed to be partly responsible for its health benefits. It is rich in carotenoids and other antioxidant-rich nutrients that are linked to improved heart, skin, and eye health.
It is a versatile cooking oil with a high smoke point, making it suitable for various cooking methods like frying, baking, and grilling.
It can also be used for sautéing, roasting, and as a finishing oil in dressings or drizzled over dishes. Additionally, it can be a healthy substitute for butter in baking and can be used in marinades or to make homemade mayonnaise.
When used in pharmaceutical formulations for topical use, avocado oil can promote increased collagen synthesis and decreased numbers of inflammatory cells during the wound-healing process, and may thus be considered a new option for treating skin wounds.
The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents in avocado oil help your skin stay smooth, strong, and elastic.
It moisturises the skin. It relieves inflammation from psoriasis and eczema. It prevents and treats acne. It soothes sunburned skin. It reduces signs of ageing. It improves nail health. It enhances scalp health.
One of the great things about avocado oil for skincare is that it is very emollient and can sink deeply into the skin. That makes it an excellent option when you want to soften tough, hard skin, such as the cuticles around your nails.
Just as avocado oil can help soften your skin, it can also help to condition and soften your hair. In fact, you can use it on its own as a leave-in conditioner. It can also be used to make an avocado oil sugar scrub. Another unconventional use for avocado oil is as a makeup remover.
Depending on the cause of your dark under-eye circles, avocado oil might help minimise them. It is also an excellent choice for use as a massage oil.
If you are trying to avoid using non-natural products on your infant, avocado oil can be a great alternative to traditional diaper rash creams.
Rich in antioxidants
A diet rich in antioxidants helps fight free radicals, which are unstable compounds that can damage cells over time. When an imbalance occurs, it can lead to oxidative stress.
Fortunately, avocado oil contains a large number of antioxidants beneficial to your health, such as carotenoids, tocopherols (forms of vitamin E), and various plant sterols.
Reduces cholesterol and improves heart health
One rat study compared avocado oil to losartan, a blood pressure medication. During the study, it was discovered that over 45 days, avocado oil reduced diastolic and systolic blood pressure by 21.2 per cent and 15.5 per cent, respectively, and had similar effects to losartan in lowering blood pressure.
Another rat study found that avocado oil was effective in reducing triglyceride and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and did not affect HDL (good cholesterol).
This result was comparable to that of olive oil, another heart-healthy oil.
High in lutein – an antioxidant beneficial for the eyes
Avocados and their oil are relatively good sources of lutein, a carotenoid and antioxidant naturally found in the eyes. Research shows that a diet rich in lutein and another carotenoid, zeaxanthin, is essential for eye health and may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common age-related eye diseases.
Since the body does not produce lutein on its own, it must be obtained from the diet. Fortunately, adding avocado or avocado oil to your meals is a simple way to support eye health.
Enhances the absorption of important nutrients
Some nutrients require fat to be properly absorbed by the body, such as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Adding avocado oil or another healthy fat to your meals may help improve nutrient absorption.
One small study found that adding avocado oil to a salad containing carrots, romaine lettuce, and spinach significantly increased the absorption of carotenoids by 4.3 to 17.4 times compared to a fat-free salad.
Other studies have shown that olive oil, which has very similar oleic acid content to avocado oil, is also highly effective at increasing the bioavailability of carotenoids.
Therefore, using avocado oil in a salad, marinade, or other dish may help your body absorb more nutrients.
May reduce symptoms of arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition involving painful inflammation of the joints, affecting millions of people globally.
The most common form is osteoarthritis, which involves the gradual breakdown of cartilage in the joints.
Numerous studies have found that extracts from avocado may reduce pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis.
A study titled, Key Components and Multiple Health Functions of Avocado Oil: A Review by Xinyue Lin et al., concludes that avocado oil is a nutritious cooking oil with multiple health benefits.
Another study titled, Effect of Semisolid Formulation of Persea Americana Mill (Avocado) Oil on Wound Healing in Rats, by Ana Paula de Oliveira concludes that the increase in tensile strength observed in the study may be due to increased collagen synthesis or changes in the maturation process, likely a result of the action of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids present in avocado oil.
